Bison sales on the up

Demand for bison continues to grow as marketers race to keep
up.If adequate supplies of
market-ready animals are available, half of U.S. bison marketers could increase
sales by more than 25% today, according to a recent survey conducted by the
National Bison Association.

The prediction comes from an online survey conducted in late
May of the industry’s 12 largest marketers.The results were announced at the NBA annual summer
conference in Big Sky, MT late last week.

The predicted breakthrough may be the beginning of the end
of a 25-year shortage of bison in the marketplace, according to the association’s
website.When the health
advantages of bison meat caught on, supply became a long-term game of
catch-up.

“Years ago, people weren’t as familiar with bison and were more willing to try
it in a restaurant.Once they took
their first bite, they loved the product and began looking for it in the
grocery stores,” said Dave Carter, executive director of the NBA.

Though it is a step in the right direction, 90% of the survey
respondents said that the tight supply situation could continue into at least
2014.

“All of us marketers are looking at this year’s calf crop,
because that will be our supply in 2014,” said Bruce Anderson, chair of the NBA
Commercial Marketers’ Committee, and owner of Western Buffalo Co. in Rapid
City, SD.

At the conference, the marketers universally targeted herd
expansion as the number one priority for the industry.Retaining existing producers,
encouraging new producers, and stabilizing prices were also discussed.